Chapter 12

A joyful thanksgiving of the faithful for the mercies of God.

1. I will praise thee. This chapter is a psalm of thanksgiving. It stands as a fitting sequel to the previous chapter, in which the Messiah effects the deliverance of the righteous from the hands of their oppressors. As the song of Moses (Ex. 15) was sung by the children of Israel after their deliverance from Egypt, another song of deliverance is to be sung when “the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people” (Isa. 11:11). Similar hymns of triumph appear in chs. 25 and 26. See Rev. 15:3, where the redeemed of all ages sing a song of triumph after their final victory.

2. God is my salvation. At the time of Sennacherib’s invasion it was God, not the walls surrounding Zion or the armies of Israel, that gave salvation to His people (ch. 37:33–36). In the last days the faithful remnant will be saved from the power of the enemy by the hand of the Lord.

The Lord Jehovah. Heb. Yah Yahweh, a repetition of the sacred name, first in its abbreviated form and then in full. The repetition may be for emphasis. This repetition of the divine name is characteristic of Isaiah.

3. Wells of salvation. When the Israelites were in the desert, God supplied them with water from the smitten rock (Ex. 17:6; Num. 20:8–11). This miracle was later celebrated by an impressive ceremony in the Temple at the Feast of Tabernacles (see DA 449). Water drawn from the spring of Shiloah (see on Isa. 8:6) was carried to the Temple in a golden vessel and poured out at the altar of burnt offering. As the priests made their way to the spring, accompanied by a Levitical choir, many worshipers followed them thither to drink of the living water as it flowed from the spring on the side of the Temple hill. Jesus alluded to this ceremony in John 7:37 when, on the last day of the feast, He invited the people to come to Him and drink. Christ is the fountain whence flows the water that will bring life and healing to the nations (Eze. 47:1; Joel 3:18; Zech. 14:8; see DA 37).

4. Declare his doings. The people of God are encouraged to remember His mercies in their behalf and to tell others of His wonderful blessings. If there were more of praise among the people of God there would be less of discouragement and faultfinding. It is the man who fails to remember the wonderful mercies of Heaven who is the most likely to forget God (Rom. 1:21–23) and to dwell on the mistakes of his brethren.

5. Excellent things. The deeds of mercy on the part of God toward His children are without number. Then why not remember them and sing praises to the Lord for His excellent mercies? Song drives away discouragement, fear, and temptation, and fortifies the soul against the wiles of the devil.

6. The Holy One of Israel. See on ch. 1:4. Isaiah did not represent a far-distant God, who shut Himself away in a holy heaven, but a God who dwelt with His people (chs. 57:15; 66:1, 2). The fact that God was with His people—Immanuel, “God [is] with us”—was the message of his life and words (see chs. 7:14; 8:8, 10). Those who have been delivered from sin within and from enemies without (see on v. 1) cannot remain silent concerning the mercies of Heaven. It is not enough to look forward to standing on the sea of glass as the time to join in the song of the redeemed; it is our privilege in this life to lift our voices in song, with the joy and peace of heaven in our hearts. This hymn of praise (ch. 12) brings to a close what has been called the “Immanuel volume” of Isaiah’s prophecy.

Ellen G. White comments

1–6PK 321

1     CT 242

2, 3 DA 449

3     CT 371; PP 412; 6T 86

6     PK 351, 581